Chapter Text
“Are you drinking coffee?” I glanced over the rim of my cup and gave Luke a sheepish grin.
“Just the one.”
“That bad?”
“Honestly, man. I’m shattered.”
“Well, when you’re ready, there’s beers in the fridge, wine, mixers etcetera, and spirits in the dining room,” Luke gestured around his kitchen and to the door which lead through to the rest of his house.
“Thanks man, I’ll finish this, then help myself,” I nodded, and that seemed to satisfy him, “You expecting many?”
“Fifteen or so,” Luke shrugged, “A couple of maybes.”
“Anyone I know?”
“Ah…yeah, my brother and his wife, my friend Laura, and her girlfriend, erm…oh Ruby said she might pop in, you know, from the office,” Luke listed of various people I’d met before.
Honestly, I’d only responded to the invite to Luke’s New Year’s Eve party with a tentative yes. I knew I’d be tired, my flight had come in that morning. I’d driven Mum home, then driven back to London. I wasn’t due to pick up Bobby until the second. I had managed to get a couple of hours of kip in, before I forced myself up and out for a run.
Whilst out running I decided that actually I didn’t fancy spending New Year’s eve on my own. I might have one beer and I’d probably in bed by ten. Luke had known, when he’d invited me that I might not make it. But I’d called him as I about to leave letting him know I’d definitely be there.
I’d made myself a coffee almost as soon as I arrived at his house, just to perk myself up. I’d felt my eyes going on the tube ride over, and was starting to regret my decision, perhaps an early night would have been for the best. Now though, now he’d just mentioned her name, I knew I’d made the right choice.
I wanted to see her.
I’d felt a little bad on Christmas day and I was worried I might have scared her off. I wanted to apologise, it was out of character of me to behave like that, but truthfully, I’d had a few drinks with my sister and I’d settled into bed, and then I’d gotten her text. I’d been a bit tipsy, and it had gotten the better of me.
When I’d read back through those texts the next morning, it was obvious that although little Ruby clearly felt some level of attraction towards me, she was doing her best to maintain a professional relationship. No means no, and I’d asked her not once, but three times, and each time she’d said no, and given me a reasonable excuse. I felt awful.
“Ruby’s coming?” I clarified.
“Maybe, I invited her, but she’s a little shy,” Luke explained, “I saw you popped a present into the office for her, that was thoughtful.”
“Yeah, about that…” I started, and Luke raised his eyebrows.
“You like her?”
“I do,” I nodded, “And I asked her out.”
“She’s a lovely girl, you could do worse,” Luke’s reply caught me of guard, I was expecting an ear bashing, but what I heard sounded more like approval.
“Well, she said no,” I finished quickly, “She didn’t think you’d approve.”
“Me?”
“Something about a clause in her contract.”
Luke’s eyes widened, “I think she may have been trying to let you down gently, mate.”
“Ah,” I don’t think my heart had ever dropped so quickly, “I see.”
“Don’t take it to heart, Tom. She is very professional. There’s no official clause in her contract about dating, but she strikes me as the sort that wouldn’t want to go mixing business with pleasure. Truth is…she’s sweet, and lovely, but she does keep herself to herself. I can’t really tell you much about her, other than her professional background,” just then the doorbell went, “I need to get that…listen, mate. I’m sure it’s nothing personal. You can’t win them all.”
“Yeah,” I nodded, trying not to sound too disappointed. I needed a beer.
∞
“You made it!” Luke beamed at me, greeting me at the front door of his North London townhouse. I grinned at held up the bottle of wine I’d picked up on my way over.
“I did,” I let him pull me into a hug, before he took the bottle from my hands.
“Oh, I love this one, come through, hang up your coat. I’ll pour you a glass,” Luke ushered me into the house, “Did you have a good Christmas?”
“Great, thanks. Quiet. Yours?”
“We spent it with Matt’s parents,” he rolled his eyes, and I giggled. He spent an inordinate amount of time complaining about his in-laws. I chuckled along, but never put in my two cents. Craig’s mother had been the bane of my existence for almost ten years. She’d hated me, and I’d never been good enough for her little prince. No matter what I did. Luke dealt with much the same from what I could gather. The difference was, Matt stood up for his husband. Craig had never stood up for me.
Luke lead me through to an open plan living and dining area in which a number of people were milling about. He quickly introduced me to several people, his husband, some friends, then just as he told me he would fetch me a drink, I turned and saw the last person I was expecting enter the room.
I had no idea Tom was back from India.
“Of course, you know, Tom,” Luke piped up.
“Ah, yep,” I nodded, and offered a small wave. Luke gave his friend a pointed look as he passed him, and Tom pressed his lips together, then looked back to me. I stood awkwardly, not quite sure what to do. I wasn’t great in social situations, and honestly, I’d not really wanted to go to the party at all. But Luke had been insistent, and Alex and Suzie were at a party with the kids. I didn’t want to be alone.
“Hi, Ruby,” I jumped a little when Tom suddenly was right next to me.
“Erm. Hi.”
“Listen, I owe you an apology,” I frowned, “I’m worried I’ve made you uncomfortable.”
“Oh…oh no, you didn’t,” I shook my head quickly, “I’m terrible at these sorts of things, social things.”
“I meant because of the texting,” Tom clarified, “I was a little pushy –”
“It’s okay, Tom. You don’t need to apologise,” I stopped him, “I’m really flattered, but like I said –”
“You don’t need to make excuses, Ruby. You said no, and you don’t need to explain yourself. I’m not arrogant enough to think every single woman wants to go out with me,” he smirked, and it became obvious he’d taken my rejection to mean I didn’t like him like that. Perhaps that was for the best?
“Here,” Luke reappeared next to us, and held out a glass of wine to me, “Right, we’re going to play Cards Against Humanity, you up for?”
“Sure,” I nodded, and moved passed Tom to find a space between everyone else.
∞
“So, we’ve worked together for almost six months, quite closely, and I’m going to be honest, I’ve got a lot of gay friends, but you are a real surprise,” I stopped from my way to the downstairs toilet, just outside the kitchen, Luke was drunk, and therefore a bit loud and un-characteristically obnoxious.
“What?” even more of a surprise was Ruby’s snort of laughter as a response.
“You, you’re a big lesbo,” Luke chided, “A big drunk lesbo.”
“For starters, I’m not that drunk, and secondly, I’m not, as you are so eloquently suggesting, a ‘big lesbo’. I’ve no idea what would give you that impression. I’m open minded as they come, Luke, but it’s not for me. I love cock about as much as you.”
Luke barked out a laugh.
“Well given my most recent discovery, I’m sure you’d be gutted to know that Tom is hung like a race horse.”
“Ew, Luke, really?” I had to choke back my own bark of laughter at my friends antics, though it did occur I should be a bit pissed off that he was getting involved, I knew he had my back. He was as interested as me to find out the real reason she’d turned me down. Maybe if I was slightly more sober, I’d find it in myself to walk in and cut this conversation short, “I don’t want to know how you know that.”
“So you just don’t fancy him, or?”
“I’m not blind,” I heard her chuckle and I felt something like relief. So, I’d been right, she did find me attractive. At least to look at. I felt less horrid now, not like she’d been trying to let me down gently.
“So, let the guy take you out to dinner.”
“I can’t.”
“Why bloody not, you’re single, right?”
Well there’s a thought, perhaps she wasn’t single. Perhaps she’d been too polite to say. She hesitated for what felt like an age and I wondered for a second if I’d missed her answer, “Yep.”
“You really had to think about that,” Luke pressed on, and I knew I should just go back into the living room, and stop listening in. But now I wanted to know more.
“I… look, Luke. I’m a really private person. I don’t talk about this a lot, but the truth is, I’m divorced. Quite recently, actually.”
“The fuck, Ruby?” Luke slurred, and I heard his bottle of beer hit the counter. Honestly I stumbled on the spot, from the revelation, “Are you serious?”
“Deadly,” she responded, “It’s fine, I’m fine with it all. My ex-husband is completely out of the picture, and actually I’m not completely against the idea of dating. But… I’m doing Tom a favour.”
Divorced. Well that explained everything. I also realised I’d heard enough. This was none of my business, and I had absolutely no right eavesdropping onto their conversation. If Ruby had wanted me to know, she’d had told me herself.
∞
“Thank you for a lovely evening,” I hugged a very drunk Luke tightly, at his front door
“Wait, you’re not walking are you?” Tom was in the hall behind Luke fastening his coat. He’d been acting very strangely. Starting the night stand offish, and avoiding me, then he’d been next to me on the sofa, arm across the back, using any excuse to brush a hand on my shoulder, or shoot me a warm smile.
“It’s fine, I’m like twenty minutes away.”
“Tom, you can’t let her walk,” Luke instructed, then looked to me and gave me an exadurated wink. “He’ll take you home.”
“Erm,” I looked between the men, amused by Luke’s antics, “I’ll be fine.”
“It’s almost two in the morning, you’ve been drinking. I’d feel much happier if I saw you to your door,” Tom moved past Luke, “Plus, I’ve got a cab booked, so it’s no trouble.”
“Only if it’s no trouble,” I conceded, and waited whilst Tom gave Luke a hug and instructed Matt to get his husband to bed before he passed out on the doorstep.
“He’s so funny drunk,” I chuckled, when Tom finally joined me on the pavement, and gestured down the road to where a taxi was waiting.
“He’s a nightmare drunk.”
“You must be exhausted, I didn’t realise until Luke said, that you only flew in this morning.”
“I’ve drunk through it.”
“Does that usually work?”
“I’m not sure, I can’t say I’ve tried it for a while. I’ll probably sleep through tomorrow,” Tom explained, opening the door for me so I could get in the cab first. However, when he told me to give the driver my address, I balked, “Are you alright?”
“Yeah…I am…I’m fine.”
“Where to?” The driver repeated. I looked at Tom, my mouth opening to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out. A less drunk me would have been rational enough to realise that giving my brothers address would mean nothing to Tom. He didn’t know who the house belonged to, and it wasn’t like Alex and Suzie would be on the doorstep eagerly awaiting my return.
“Ruby?” Tom frowned.
“Erm…Hale Lane, Edgware,” I finally managed to mumble and glanced at Tom, “Not too far out of your way is it?”
“No, not at all,” he shook his head, and I’m certain he wouldn’t have told me if it was.
The car was quiet for the first few minutes into the journey, then Tom spoke.
“I’ve an admission to make,” he started, “I overheard you talking to Luke tonight.”
“Oh,” I scrunched up my nose to remember what he might have heard, I’d talked to Luke a lot.
“I heard you tell him about your divorce.”
“Ah…that…” I trailed off.
“It doesn’t bother me,” he continued, “I mean, that you’ve been married. It doesn’t put me off, I’m not that judgmental. I just wanted you to know.”
“Most men wouldn’t want to be a rebound,” I didn’t look at him as I spoke. Was I annoyed? Not really, I was a private person, but I should have been more careful. He knew now, and there wasn’t much I could do about it. Besides, my ex-husband wasn’t really what I was hiding from him.
“There’s been no one since?”
“No.”
“How long?”
“Since what? It was finalised eight months ago,” I explained, “But we’d been separated for about fifteen months. We were still having sex regularly up until I left.” Maybe that was too much information.
Tom ignored my last statement, “Can I ask why?”
“Because his twenty-two year old secretary had a tighter pussy than me,” I responded bluntly. The truth was, I’d not been surprised when I found out Craig was cheating on me. I’d not even cared all that much. I mean, it wasn’t like he wasn’t getting what he needed at home, we’d always been very physical. But we had grown apart. His infidelity was the excuse I needed to leave.
“I really like you, Ruby,” Tom said quietly, and I noticed him glance at the driver, before looking back at me, “I think you like me too?”
“Tom…” I sighed, turning to look at him properly, but before I could actually respond, his lips caught mine in a rough kiss. Gone was a sweet chasteness of the kiss we’d shared under the mistletoe almost four weeks earlier. This time I was completely engulfed by him, and when he went to pull back, I reached out, securing a hand around the back of his neck, holding him in place, and deepening the kiss.
“Is it still a rebound when it’s been over two years?” Tom asked, breathlessly, when we eventually parted. But before I could answer, the car was slowing down and the driver was asking which number I was.
“Thirty- Two,” I answered quickly.
When the car pulled up, I fumbled in my purse for some money, but Tom put his hand over mine, stopping me. Then he told the driver to wait for him.
“What are you doing?”
“Seeing you to your door,” he replied, climbing out his side, and walking round to open my door.
“Okay,” I nodded, glancing at the taxi driver, then getting out the car, and allowing Tom to rest a hand on my lower back as he lead me up the path and waited whilst I took out my set of keys and unlocked the front door, “Well… thank you for seeing –” before I could finish his mouth was on mine again.
Fuck, he was a good kisser.
“Tell me to leave and I will,” Tom mumbled against my lips, “But I don’t think you want me to.”
He was right, I didn’t want him to. But he couldn’t stay either. Finding the inner strength to end what was happening, I placed both hands on his shoulders and pushed him back firmly, creating a good space between us.
“You need to go, Tom,” I whispered, regretfully.
“Let me take you to dinner. Tomorrow night?” Tom asked, his hands coming to rest on my hips, I opened my mouth to answer, but found myself cut short, as the front door swung open and my brother stood there, in his sleep pants and t-shirt, looking more than a little pissed off.
“For fucks sake Roo, I’ve been calling you. I’ve been worried s –” he stopped short, as if suddenly noticing I wasn’t alone. He glanced between the two of us and set his hand on his hips, his look turning from pissed off to disbelief.
“Erm…” I shifted on my feet, glancing from Alex, to Tom, whose brow was furrowed in confusion, “Tom…this is Alex, my big brother, Alex…this is Tom, he was at the party tonight. He wanted to make sure I got home safely. He’s just going,” I gesture over to the waiting taxi.
“I see,” Alex gave Tom what I could only describe as a scrutinising stare, “Well thank you, Tom. But it’s very late, and the kids are asleep upstairs. I don’t want them woken, they’ve had a late night.”
“Of course,” Tom nodded, “Ruby…erm…” he glanced at Alex, who still stood unmoving, waiting for me to say goodbye and step indoors. Fuck, this was mortifying. I should have just told him, admitting that I was living in my brothers box room, would have been preferable to my brother shooting the famous movie star on his doorstep evils for doing nothing more than ensuring his little sister made it back safely. Well nothing more than that, and snogging her with in an inch of her life.
“It’s fine, Tom,” I gave him the smallest of smiles, “You should get home, thank you for the lift.”
“No problem, Ruby,” he nodded, turned and made for the taxi. I was inside and closing the door before it drove off.
Alex said nothing, except giving me a further disapproving look, shaking his head and going to the stairs. I sighed.
Well. That was the last I’d hear from Tom.
It was nice whilst it lasted.